At the End of the Worlds: Race, The Wretched Part 1

So I have decided to do a number of posts I am going to call End of Worlds.  One post will be fluff or history of the topic.  The another post or two will mechanics to use the idea across multiple rpg systems (Thinking Fate, D6, Savage Worlds and Pathfinder to start).  Let's see how it goes shall we.

The Wretched

Origin: The Wretched began as a dark breeding experiment, between demonic forces and humans. Over time a new race was created, as tainted as their demonic heritage and as adaptable as humans. This was to be a chosen race of its overlords, until they betrayed them. Crippling the forces that created them, but being cursed by their once owners with plague and poison. Although the curse did disfigure and twist their minds, they adapted, as they were created to do, they became carriers of disease and accustom to poison in their veins.

Description: The wretched are humanoid with a pale grey to peach skin. Their eyes are a dark grey or bright green. Aside from this, their skin and hair always seems to shine with a clear oil. Their otherwise human appearance seems to unnerve those of other races.

Homeland:  Dessa Swamps.

Society:  The most distinct drive of the Wretched society is twisted sense of beauty and fascination, nearly worship, of the unclean.  They see beauty in the loss of what many find beautiful.  Appearance, art, strength, stripped away and destroyed in thin strands is the greatest of goals for these people.  With one exception, Dance.  Dancing is an art that the majority of the society respects and honours as beauty itself.  Of course the dancers are rare common examples of what the rest of the world claims as beauty.  The wretched are ruled by a Queen, who upon taking the crown loses her name is referred to only as the Wretched Queen.

Food:  The most common foods of the Wretched are charred and smoked snake, extracted venoms and weed cakes made from the swamp.

Values:  The Wretched prize Cleverness over Kindness and Fear over Honesty.

RoaE: What are Quests?

  So some of you will find some red cards in your act 2 package.  These are quest cards.  By completing the goal listed you will gain the effect, that parts pretty simple.  You will also be awarded VP, which is sort of a bragging rights.  I will likely have a small reward for the player to the player that earns the most.

  Now the more complicated part, how do you get more quests.  Well there will be a couple public quests, however most will be hidden until uncovered.  As well, some players may be on the same quest.  This will be handled as open quests (Everyone can complete) or closed (First to complete reaps the reward).  Who comes first you ask?  First to get their letter to me.  All alternative submissions of act actions and such, lose priority to letters.  Lets have some fun, shall we?


Note:  Some Quests are hidden until 'unlocked'.

At the end of worlds: Race - Steel Elves part 2 (Mechanics - Fate)

Fate

Aspects: My blade is an extension of myself, Blacksmith of Elven Steel, Nature is the enemy, and

Racial skill: Metal Bond

Metal Bond is the racial skill of the Steel Elves. It represents to the connection that these elves have made with the elemental forces of metal, such as steel. When working to craft, identify or find steel this skill may be used.  Also select one stunt below.  You may select more by spending stunts.

Stunts

Reap Mana from Steel:  When attacking with a weapon made from steel, you may change a die into a Mana die for every rank in this skill.  See here for more information.

Against the Enemy, that is nature:  When wearing armour in an outdoor, above ground environment.  Defence rolls against physical attacks increase by 2.

Masterful Metalworks:  When making a craft roll while working with Metal, you may make up to half the skill in dice bound.  See here for more information.

RoaE: Clarifying Shroud

So to clear up some confusion of what shroud does, I will note what each factor in shroud hides from the public.



Leader

• Name and class
• Items you carry
• Minions

Province

• Fort strength
• Buildings
• Resources

People

• Race
• Moral
• Prevents digging in your region, except by you.

Military

• Units
• Actions, except from actions taken against others land.

RoaE: Act 2 - Province's status

Provinces of Act 2

Provinve Summary: Alx

Majority of Terrain: Coast

Leader Shrouded

Region Shrouded

People Shrouded 

Military Shrouded

Province Summary: Black Coral Point

Majority of Terrain: Coast

Leader: Legion, the Seer

Fort Strength 3

Developed regions 2 (Income of 4)

Buildings: Market

Resources

Food 5

Gold 9

Lumber 1

Mana 2

Ore 3

The People

Race: Golem

Current moral 4

Unassigned Military units

A (Freedom Fighter)

B (Freedom Fighter)

Province Summary:  Bone ship Yard

Terrain :Ruins

Leader:  Bone eye Cid

Fort Strength: 0

Resources

Gold 10

The people Shrouded

Military:  Undead Pirate Ship

Province Summary: Darkness

Majority of Terrain: Coast

Leader: Bob the Ninja

Province Shrouded

The People

Race: Lizardfolk

Current moral 2

Unassigned Military units

A (Dammed)

B (Dammed)

C (Dammed)

D (Dammed)

Province Summary: Helheim

Majority of Terrain: Mountain

Leader: Soren the Exalted

Fort Strength 3

Developed regions 2 (Income of 4)

Resources

Food 4

Gold 1

Lumber 8

Mana 4

Ore 5

The People

Race: Feral

Current moral 3

Unassigned Military units

A (Beast)

B (Beast)

C (Beast)

D (Beast)

Province Summary: Huldufolk

Majority of Terrain: Valley

Leader: Lilith the Seer.

Shrouded Province

Shrouded people

Shrouded Military

Province Summary: Lantor

Majority of Terrain: Ruins

Leader: Sheera the Exalted of the Old ones.

Fort Strength 5

Developed regions 2 (Income of 4)

Resources

Food 2

Gold 4

Lumber 2

Mana 10

Ore 2

The People

Race: Imps

Current moral 1

Military (Shrouded)

Province Summary: Lon

Majority of Terrain: Forest

Leader: Drita Aleska the Noble

Personal Hireling: Brian Crain (Human Knight. Fury 4. Loyalty 8)

Fort Strength 3

Developed regions 1 (Income of 2)

Resources

Food 4

Gold 12

Lumber 6

Mana 4

Ore 2

The People

Race: Human

Current moral 3

Unassigned Military units

A (Infantry)

B (Archer)

C (Archer)

Province Summary: Mammoth's End

Majority of Terrain: Valley

Leader: Bug the Brood Master.

Hirelings: Frostburn (Fury 3, Loyalty 4, Monstrous)

Fort Strength 2

Developed regions 1 (Income of 2)

Building(s): Market

Resources

Food 4

Gold 3

Lumber 0

Mana 2

Ore 2

The People

Race: ooze

Current moral 2

Shroud military

Provinve Summary: Sarv

Majority of Terrain: Forest

Leader Shrouded

Region Shrouded

People Shrouded 

Military Shrouded

RoaE: Hirelings Available, Act 2

Below are some Hireling that can attempt to be recruited.


James Orb, the Spell thief
  James has been in this dark realm for a long time.  He has survived on his ability to hide and knowledge of Black magic.
Wants:  Gold, Spells 2+
Loyalties:  None
Abilities: Attempt to steal resources or items.  Also may teach Spells if you have less then 3.


Grim, the Clockwork Hulk
  Grim is an ancient creation, that claims to have seen the end of time.  A place none should ever witness it claims. 
Wants:  Ore
Loyalties: None
Abilities: (Fury 4) may attack on Confronting and Siege.

Anna, Tainted Angel
  Entering this realm too soon, her divine form soaked up the tainted forces of their will.  
Wants:  Mana
Loyalties: None
Abilities:  (Fury 3) may assist on Patrols or may bind a province so it's leader may not use spells for the act.

RoaE: Act 2 - The Shift

  By the end of the Act, the world is changing.  Reports of weird rifts surrounding the borders has worried your people.  Days have passed and none can find passage through these rifts.  A mural of ever changing colours fills the sky.  Just as it seems that the people may break into a panic, the sky clears and the borders open.  But the world outside your province has changed.  New landscapes and neighbours, have replaced old and understood ones.  It is a new world, and something is off.  But you and your people will endure and thrive in this new created world.  Of course, you likely are not the only one thinking that.

  OOC:  The world has been assembled, bring all you the different province together to play this scenario.   Combat is now a possibility.  Enjoy and see you next act.

Market

Plentiful - Lumber
Rare - Mana

RoaE: The New World Map

*Yay a pretty map.  Note, location and adjacent regions mean nothing.  You can attack and dig anywhere, regardless of your relative location to target.

Fate Core: Let's look at the Dice

  So I was glancing over the Fate tool kit once again and noticed the weapon and armor dice option, which got me think, 'What an interesting concept, but there is so much more that could be done with it.'  So that's what I plan to do here.  Come up with some mods for dice that your could add to your game as extras or maybe work into stunts.  That is what I plan to do in some later articles.

Dice Power Mods

Skilled Die:  When you roll a - on this die, count it as a 0.

Potent Die:  When you roll a + on this die, count it as +2 instead of +1.

Bound Die:  This die is not rolled in the test.  You cannot ever have more then two bound dice.

Extended Effect Die:  Added to an effect die, effects now trigger on / rolls as well.

Dice Effect Mods

Alchemic Die:  When comes up -, restore one to your alchemy pool.  See here for Alchemy.

Command X, Die:  When you roll -, you may make die give -2 instead and then have Minion X act immediately. 

Comrade Die:  When you roll a +, you may add the plus one to an ally's next turn if they are in the same zone as you, and the skill they use is equal or less then yours before modifications.

Evolution Die:  When you roll a -, gain 1 evo point or trigger evolution pool.

Mana Die:  When this die comes up -, you restore one mana.

Hidden War: Siphon Gate City - How do Districts Work

The city is made up of a number of important districts.  There are different statistics to each district that I will explain.  First is the name and a short description .  Primary source is the paradigm energy that permeates the area, this effects what the supernatural can do.  Stability shows the health of the area, and it's ability to resist outside influences.  Awareness is like the danger track of how are the area is looking out for weird events and people.  Finally traits affect how the district operates.


Below is a sample District.



Sanctuary Park
  A large city block park.  Know for it's stillness, regardless of the time of day.
Primary Source:  Nature
Produces:  Motes /Regents
Stability OOOX
Awareness: 0
Trait(s):  Secrets 3



District Traits

Here is where the different traits will be tracked as created


Secrets, X: This district can be searched for mystic secrets.  When this happens successfully X is reduced by one.  If X reaches zero or less then Secrets is removed from District.

Black Market:  If health and awareness are 2 or less then add 2 wealth to districts income this turn.

Crop of Human:  When recruiting an agent, gain an extra draw on choices.

Gate:  Needed to meet conditions for some actions or objectives.

Secluded:  Reduce districts awareness each round by an additional 1.

Tight Knit Community:  If awareness increase during a turn, increase it by an additional 1.


More to come soon.

At the end of worlds: Race - Steel Elves part 1

Origin:  Steel elves rose from the ashes of the the Fallen Elemental wars that left the great forest of their ancestors burned and the ground salted.  Left with just the shores for food and the ore deposits that were revealed from their ruined homeland.  The Elves refused to leave, and took the ore they could gather for the land that had abandoned them.

Description:  The average Steel Elf have skin grey as the metal they work, though there is the rare bronze or copper skinned.  Their hair is either a coal black, or white as snow.  With eyes of gold and silver.  However, an oddity is sometimes born with eyes and hair a deep blue sapphire.

Homeland:  The Ashes Valley.

Society:  Steel elves are as passionate and prideful as their woodland counter parts.  However, that pride and power is turn towards forged steel rather then nature.  Steel Elves preach that the spirits of the forest turn against them in their weakest hour.  That woodlands cannot endure the same passion that the steel they forge possess.  The Steel elves see metal as their savoir an worship the forge god Thorgrim.  The Steel Elves are ruled by an elected council named the Elven Anvil.

Food:  Grapes, berries and field mice are the staples of the Steel Elves diet.  As well as wine produced by them.

Values:  Honesty over Gain, and Perfection over Leisure.

Hidden War: Siphon Gate City - What is this?

What's this now?

  Expanding on my Relics of an Empire game, I am preparing another turn based game.  This time set in an rpg setting I have been working on called Paradigm Wars (Which I plan on releasing in small bits later).  Rather then kingdoms it will focus on a single city in a Urban fantasy setting.  The Players will take roles of potent supernatural being that will be attempting to alter the supernatural landscape in their favour.  They will plot, battle and alter the city against the other factions in the city.  Another difference of Relics of an Empire, is that the players will be part of a faction, meaning that some players will be in direction communication and planing with their own faction.

Hidden War: Siphon Gate City - Factions

The Player Factions of Siphon Gate City Brief Overview

The Angellan
  Beings of radiance that hide within unknowing mortals.  Sealed away tethered to the reincarnation of the human soul they are bound to.  These ancient forces have been dominant for centuries, but now as the balance of earth shifts to the darkness, they awaken.  Forces of light with a purpose have first awoken in Siphon city.  And now they aim to create a symbol of light out of this city.


The Dark Kin
  Creatures created in ancient time that feel of the darkness of mankind.  Growing strong by steering the morality of man downwards into the dark.  Sometimes called vampires, demons or other monsters in myths of man.  The hope to turn the city into a gate and breeding ground for there kind.


The Guardians
  With outside forces of the supernatural rise over the city.  Mortal mages begin to band together.  Earth is our realm, and only we and the humans of this world should guide it's course.  Our goal is to seal and banish the outsiders that attempt to take our world from us.

RoaE: How Hirelings Work

  This post will explain how hirelings to work in Relics of an Empire.  Each act the available hirelings will be posted.  They will have a name, wants, abilities, and possibly loyalty.  First step to gaining access to a hirelings assistance is to gain loyalty from it.  If you have zero loyalty with the Hireling, you take the Gain loyalty of a Hireling to gain a base loyalty.   If you have at least one loyalty to the hireling, you may appeal to their wants without taking an action, more on wants later.

  Once you have any loyalty with a hireling you may attempt to command them.  Though so can any other player with loyalty.  The Hireling will take the action of the character with highest loyalty, however, the player will lose 2 loyalty if any other player with loyalty asked the hireling in question to act as well.  If you have loyalty the hireling, but you did not ask them to this turn, you can appeal to their wants.  If you have a trait the hireling seeks or if the hireling wants a resource, you increase their loyalty for each trait you possess and once for every two resources your willing to spend on the hireling.


Example coming soon.